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Whenever there is a new phone or operating system on the market, it is always just a matter of time before someone finds a vulnerability in its security features.

This was no different for iOS 7, which was technically hacked just a few days after Apple released it. A bug in the operating system allowed people to access private features in a locked iPhone from the control center, without actually unlocking the phone.

Apple has updated iOS 7, offering a patch to the bug, which has concerned many people who tend to leave their phones laying around.

The Bug

Interestingly, the iOS 7 lock screen bug was not discovered by a security research firm, rather Joe Rodriguez (a soldier in Spain) was the first to notice the issue. It is not uncommon for lock screen bugs to be found but they are generally very hard to learn and exploit, however that was not the case with this one.

As Rodriguez discovered, swiping up on the lock screen to reveal the control center provides access to the clock (which is normal.) After clicking on the clock and then holding down the power button until it says "slide to power off," a user can then quickly hit cancel and double tap the home button. As a result, these simple actions would provide access to the multitasking area.

Although full access to a phone would not be provided, a user could access the camera from the multitasking window. Since this camera app would be the full version that enables sharing, someone could then exploit that access, gain control of the contacts list (when going to share a photo) and have access to people's contact information that has been saved within the iPhone's contacts app.

Apple responded to this information stating that it would be providing a security update shortly but until then, users would have to disable the control center on the lock screen, or run the risk of someone gaining access to the device.

iOS 7.02

Apple's update which was released today, is available via the Settings app and is labeled "iOS 7.02." This update is small but it does provide a fix for the lock screen bug.

Although disabling the control center on the lock screen was a way to get around the bug, most users love having the ability to access its features without unlocking their devices every time. Therefore, this update will be beneficial to every iOS 7 user.

That said, there are multiple less-talked-about security flaws in iOS 7 that have not been fixed by this update. Luckily, this is the only significant bug that anyone would be able to exploit without spending much time on it. So, this update should make your iOS 7 device pretty secure.

Along with the bug fix, Apple has reintroduced the Greek keyboard option as part of the 21 MB iOS 7.02 update.